Tire-chain fastener



J. WLHUBBLE.

TIRE CHAIN FASTENER.

APPLICATION FILED SEPT. 15. 1919.

1,863.23 14. Patented Dec. 14, 1920.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

JOEL W. HUBBLE, 0F JACKSONVILLE, ILLINOIS.

TIRE-CHAIN rns'rnnnn.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Dec. 1-1, 1920.

T 0 all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, JOEL W. HUBBLE, a citizen of the United States, a resident of Jacksonville, in the county of Morgan and State of Illinois, have invented new and useful Improvements in Tire-Chain Fasteners, of which the following is a speoifica- I tion.

This invention has reference to a new and improved fastener for securing the ends of t1re chams, when applied to automobile tires.

The principal object of this invention is to provide a fastener for tire chains that is self contained, and'does not require the use of additional guards or clasps to hold same understood, reference is had to the accomabout half completed;

panying drawings forming a part of this description, in which Figure 1 is a plan view of a fastener embodying my invention;

Fig. 2 is an elevation of Fig. 1, the dotted line illustrating the manner in which the loose end of the chain is inserted into the. fastener and the appearance of same after the connection is made and the chain is ready to tighten;

Fig. 3 is an elevation similar to Fig.2, except that the process for tightening the chain by means of the fastener, is shown Fig. 4 is an elevation showing the fastener as it appears after the process for tightening the chain has been completed;

Fig. 5 is an elevation and plan illustrating a modification of the fastener which does not have the chain tightening feature, but does have the same means of preventing the chain end from becoming disengaged from the fastener.

Like characters of reference denote corresponding parts throughout the figures.

Referring now to the fastener which is preferably made of a single piece, either attached to the fastener.

stamped or cast, and void of the usual and well known clasp necessary in like devices now in general use, the same is made in approximately the shape of a cardioid,

although somewhat flattened. This fastener has a main slot conforming to the contour of the article and extending throughout its entire length, thereby producing a continuous outer wall, except at a suitable point where the wall is provided with an 0bliquely arranged opening, or diagonal slot to allow for the insertion of the link at the attaching end of the chain; also a partition wall which is integral with the body of the article, is provided, producing a short slot having parallel walls and extending from its connection. with the main slot for a portion of the length of the fastener, making it possible to turn the fastener in its length to shorten the distance between the fixed and attaching end of the chain to tighten and lock the same after applying the same full length of the fastener; 3 the partition wall which separates the main slot from the short slot 4. 5 is an obliquely arranged opening or diagonal slot in the outer wall of the fastener for the insertion of the fastening or attaching end of the chain. 6 denotes a rivet or similar device by which the one end chain link 7 is permanently 8 indicates the end of the main slot 2, at which point the rivet 6 of the link 7 is preferably located, when it is desired to connect the chain ends. 9 designates the end of the main slot 2, which is preferably toward the attaching end of the end chain link 10.

Referring to the obliquely arranged opening or diagonal slot 5, see Figs. 1 and 2, it is obvious that bythis type of construction,

wherethe points 11 and 12 formed by the 'ibehbvious'that as the fastener-is rotated, :the rivet B of theendilink 7 leaves its posiuninterrupted path or guard, which pre vents the link 10 or the rivet 8 from1ca'tching during any passage they may have along the main slot 5.

In operation, the chain is first passed .ta'roundthe tire and the end attaching. link 10 is inserted into the main slot 2 ofthe fastener, by twisting 'or'tu'rning said "link as illustratedby the dotted lines in Fig. 2, and passing through the oblique opening or diagonal .slot 5. It is then drawn into -.the position. shown in full lines in 'Fig. 2,

and. is ready "for its position to be reversed end for end to draw up and tighten the tirle'ehai-n. This is accomplished byclaspthe fastener with theffingers and rotatingthe same as shown=in'Fig. '3. 'It will "be understood that the necessary slack in..-the

chain that :permitsof the attaching of "the end attaching llin'kd'O "to the fastener, will .permit 't'heloperater "to easily rotate the fastener "L1 to ,siic'h position that he will time a Powerifu1 leverage on'the tire chain with the fastener before the v-a' '3jti1altighteningoccur's. By reference to 'Fig. 3,-it will tion .a'tthe point "8 ofthe main slate and 1itrave1s therein toward 1 the point 9 of the "main :slotj2, and that sim rltanelously, the eactattaehing linlilO will leave the point .9 .df'the main -slot 2ian'd travel withinthe sshort slot. 4 toward the end .13 thereof; As

,thejfastener, is fiir'ther rotated to'theiposithat the rotation of 'the fastenerjhas trans- .tio'nf shown in 'Fig. 4, it maybeeasil rseen ,posedthe position ofthe rivet 6 at the point T8 of themain slot. 2, to the :1point"9 of "the 7 main slotf2, whichwas .occnpiedbyth'e link 11.0 in Fig-=2, and thatthelink 1O'has moved l'toithe' point "13 of'the short slot4,'thereby .decreasing the distance between 'the rivet 1B ofvthe'link 7 and'the end attachinglink .LlObf .the'tire chain and tighten 'the chain around the tire. Further, the movement of the fastener which transposes the rivet pin erremrhe end of the f'fa's'tener' 8]to the end 1 and the seating of the end .link "10 in the slot '4, so positions-the rivetipin h-in ifront of the open end of said Islet .4 as to lock" the linl 1'O"iri .saiCl slot and retaindtfin this positioninitil the'Ifasteneri-s il'everse dtolthe -;pos'ition, shown in Fig. -1.

Referring to the modi"e'ations of the fastener, shown in Fig. 5, it is obvious that with this type of construction, that this fastener will possess all of the advantages relative to seclirely locking the the chain after connecting the same, but thatit does not have theLtaking or tightening feat- ;n'res oflthe fastener shown in Figs. 1, 2, 3

I ,and 4. The'manner of inserting the attachingllink is similar to thatdescribed above, as .wellxas the permanent attachment of 'the,

end'tire chain link by means of a rivet, not

vshownyin 'the hole-or opening 14: of the fastener 15, see Fig, 5. The slots 16 in the fastener I5 communicate with the oblique openings or diagonal slots 17 for the insertion of the attaching link, and it is obvious that after the attaching link is placed in one ofthe slots'l 6, that it will be impossible to remove the same withoutturning or twisting the same, as described above.

WVhatl claimisz I y l. A one piece fastenerforLtire-chains,

.having a receiving "slot for the attaching link and a diagonally "disposed opening through which a chain link, when turne'd 'at an angle, maybe inserted into'said' slot.

2. A one piece. fastener for tire chains,

link "and a "diagonally cflis'posed opening through which achain link, when tirrnedg'at an angle, maybe inserted into said slot,;-'the walls "ofifsaid "diagonal opening overlapping 'to'fprote'ct' the link fromaccidental --demhment,

'3. A 'one piecefastener {for tire'chains, having approximately theshztpe 4ofa flat- "tened cardioid'and formed witha main slot oid-and formed with a main slot conforming to the contour of'the fastener,'which communicates with a shortIreturned slot-separated from the main slot by apartit-i on, the

outer wall ofsaid fastenerjprovide'dwith a diagonally disposed opening,thronghwhich a chainilink, when turned at .an'angi -may be inserted! into sai dimain slet, a rivet pin securing oneend link of the "chain "to "said having a receiving slot fonthe. attaching fastener and movable from "endto "end of V the main slot in the fastener-, the distance shortened by turning theffastenejr end Ifor en'd, resiilting in the attaiihing.liiikiofithechainbecoming seated in'tfhe endef the-short .slot. r

5. In a tirechain, a fastener and tightener forvthechain, comprising :a member of one piece formed with one main slot, a short slot communicating therewith, and the wall of the memberbeing provided with a diagonally disposed opening through which the link at the free end of the chain, when turnedlat an angle,may be inserted into said fbetween the/two ends of the chai'n being' mainslot, a rivetpin connecting thelink at l the opposite end of the chain to said 'memher, saidrrivetpin adapted .to'betranspo ed from one end of said main slot to the other end thereof, and the link at the attaching end of the chain adapted to be seated in said short slot by the turning of said member, thereby tightening the chain.

6. In a tire chain, a fastener having a main slot extending the length thereof and a short slot communicating therewith and separated therefrom by a. partition wall, the outside wall of the main slot provided with a diagonally disposed opening for the insertion of the link at the attaching end of the chain, a rivet pin through said main slot, movable therein and securing one of the chain links to said fastener, the tightening of the chain being accomplished by turning the fastener end for end, transposing the position of said rivet in said main slot, and causing the link at the attaching end of the chain to pass from the main slot into said short slot, thereby shortening the distance between the two ends of the chain.

7. In a tire chain, a one piece fastener, means connecting one end of said chain with said fastener, means permitting the link at the attaching end of said chain to be coupled to said fastener, means permitting the fastened end of the chain to be transposed from one end. of said fastener to the other end thereof by the turning of the fastener, and means in the fastener to receive the coupling link of the chain during the turning thereof, whereby the distance between the ends of the chains may be shortened and the chain tightened.

In witness whereof I have hereunto aflixed my hand and seal this 3rd day of September, 1919.

JOEL W. HUBBLE. 

